Just picked up a Numark Mixtrack

[sektor22]

I've been looking for an inexpensive controller for a while now, mainly to be used as a back-up to wonky decks when I play out and to get a little bit into Traktor (I mainly use ssl and my cdjs). I decided on the Mixtrack after watching a couple of videos on youtube and mainly because it fit my budget. I do own an audio 8 so this controller seemed perfect. At $147 out the door, I am not yet remorseful of my purchase.
As has been noted before, this is a plastic controller but it does it's job very well. On a side note-- I also own a bcd2000, an sc.3d, a launchpad and a nanokontrol (I need to start purging) and had previously tried to get a dj set on traktor going with various combinations of the aformentioned hardware, all with varying degrees of success (but mostly failure).
I was extremely happy when I plugged in the mixtrack, loaded the tsi into traktor pro and everything seemed to be mapped and working correctly. I did a 60 minute set on my macbook pro using the internal soundcard and without headphones (that sync button works magic : ) that imo came out very good.
I read some reviews that said that the mixtrack was either too big or to small but to me, it is a good size. The buttons are laid out fairly well and respond pretty good to the touch. I am not a scratch dj but the wheels are very responsive as well, I also liked the fact that the unit has a dedicated knob/button for selecting songs from your folders and for loading into the corresponding deck. The only thing I was not too happy with was the lack of a dedicated gain knob (I reassigned one of the eq knobs to the gain) and the way the effects are mapped: 1st knob is for effect selection only , 2nd is for d/w and 3rd for fx1- I am going to have to remap these somehow so that I can activate 2 or 3 of the chained effects from the unit directly.
Overall, not a bad way to spend $150, I hope I can sell my sc.3d and bcd to recoup some of this, but even if I don't, I'm not breaking the bank. This is obviously not in the same league as the $800 VCI-300 or the $400 VCI-100 but it does it's job, and I feel it does it very well. I am thinking of trying the arcade button mod down the line, but I am not sure yet---- sorry for the ramblings ... but if anyone is looking at buying one of these, I'd be happy to answer any questions...

[kooper1980]

Hey

Great post. Just what i was looking for. I'm currently looking into buying a DJ midi controller after spending the last 12 months using an APC40, Akai LPD8 and Launchpad with Ableton (think i also need a purge at some point). Want to start using Traktor Pro and have a little more interaction with my tunes (using Ableton to play a set just feels too computerized!!) so i've been researching the MixTrack and the Reloop Digital Jockey Interface Edition. There is about a £150 price difference which effectively means i could buy 2 MixTracks for the price of one Digital Jockey!!
I'm not a scratch DJ either but its great to read that you feel the jog wheels are sensitive enough for your liking. The only thing putting me off buying the MixTrack is the issue with the effects assignment so i'd love to know how you get on with remapping and using them within your sets so please keep me posted.
Anyway thanks again for your informative post
Jon.

[DjWindzOne]

I bought one just for fun around the local coffee shops and friends places. And I wanted to Venture into Traktor territory.

The jogs are really responsive. Buttons are the same (I've actually done triplet crabs on the stutter button), I am, however, a scratch Dj, but I really don't scratch as much as I do cue point jugglling. I use Serato, but I'm still using the techniques i've seen/learned from the vids that Ean and other members of DJTT community have done here, and applied them to my own sets/performances. (You guys are great by the way!!!)

@Sektor
As far as an arcade mod, the fit is REAL tight. While practicing during breaks at work (I brought it during my lunch and 15 minute breaks), I started measuring the button layouts for it, and the OBSF-24's that the sell in the shop are really cutting into the beveled edge of the faceplate below the jogs. I measured roughly 28-30mm from the flat part of the face (underneath the jogs) to the bottom bevel (below the buttons). The OBSF-24's need 28mm total flat space for the buttons to fit just right. There are other things that might cause some issues (like the depth needed for the buttons) and the clearance inside the case (which is easily adjusted with a "riser" for or the button layout). So I started looking for alternatives. . . .SDM-20's may do the trick, but it's pushing it rather slim, as I like the 24's (they're as close to the OBSF-30's, and I'm into fighters with my PS3), and the SDM-20's are really, small.

Sorry for babbling guys. . .but I'm may just do an arcade mod to this. . .I just need more time with LE before I venture into this.

Dj Windz One
aka Darwin XD

[XmanDigital]

Hey guys, I actually just registered to the forum only to post this reply. I'm a long time follower of DJTT, but have never really contributed aside from introducing a few other friends to the site. @Ean, this is a great resource man! Sorry for the mouthful below, I guess I had a lot to say.

I purchased a Mixtrack a few wks ago, not as a back up, but intentionally as a primary "midi-contoller mixer". I've used many different hybrid midi-controller setups along with various input methods from all MIDI to vinyl or even CDJ timecodes. I've realized one thing, It's not about what you use, its how you use it, and how comfortable you are with it. With that said choosing a MIDI controller is not a once size fits all type of category. If you're buying turntables you can say get Technics 1200's (any variation really) they're the best in the industry, you couldn't boast this about a MIDI controller, you have to see it more as an extension of yourself and a platform for your performance. So it is going to vary as much per user as it will per event. The perfect Midi Controller for me would be a Single unit, built in sound card, effects, loop, cue, possibly even a hard drive input or thumb drive input, the one must is that it must have an abundance of knobs and faders that are all easily mappable. Similar to the bigger brother of the Mixtrack, the Mixdeck.

With that said, My 1st surprise with the Mixtrack, was the ultra-responsive jog wheels, in my opinion they feel great, I'm not saying they don't leave anything to be desired, in fact, they leave a lot to be desired, but they feel like they could've easily been on a much more high end unit and at $149 they feel GREAT! I also own a pair of Scs.3d's from Stanton. They were my first MIDI controllers, I used them at first with my 4channel analog mixer, but in all honesty I was not happy that the units didn't really track all that well and really didnt feel natural in terms of the touch jogwheels, there was no tactile feedback at all, although the buttons and faders are incredible. And so, I still use them since, becuase of the responsive nature of their performance, the intuitive feel, and the quick access to multiple modes, they make the perfect addition to any kit for much more control in a small package.

So, I have since combined the SCS.3d and the MIXTRACK and created a hybrid midi map for each of the two devices. Each unit only handles specific key functions, this also allows me full control over 4 decks, physically. In this setup, my Mixtrack controls all of my transport functions, where my scs.3ds in 2 deck mode will provide greater contol over effects and loops respectively for each DECK A&B. I can also use the SCS.3D to also fully control DECK C and DECK D and really get into a groove with 4 decks, loops and effects.

All in all the jogwheels are a hit and they come very close to mimicing CDJ platters and jogs exactly, but since they are touch senstive (more like weight Sensitive) you cannot pitchbend from the side of the platter by nudging the platter, this does not send a midi signal without some weight downwards on the platter in scratch mode. You have to come out of scratch mode in order to do this more intuitively, or I can jog/scratch with the SCS.3D and pitchbend on the Mixtrack by keeping the scratch toggle off, or vice versa, pitch bend with the SCS.3D ang jog/scratch with the Mixtrack's more responsive platter.

My only real disappoint with the Mixtrack is simple, lack of knobs- no independent channel gains represented on the physical layout and also not enough knobs to control all the effects parameters that traktor makes available to you. They could've given so much more here, but since i use the SCS.3D's in combination with the Mixtrack I've mapped most of the effects, loop, and cue functions to the SCS.3Ds instead.

Also:
Master Vol. Fader - This is the most poorly planned fader on the device it sits in between the Channel 1/Channel 2 Volume Faders and literally is not well spaced as I have hit it by mistake before during a performance and cut out the volume completely. I've subsequently fixed this issue by mapping it to control my headphone vol. instead. I usually just set my master volume internally and adjust my volume from a standard analog 4 channel mixer that I output to from Traktor using a Numark DJ/IO soundcard so I really don't need a on board midi mapping for this.

In summation, I think the Mixtrack is a great unit for the price, there are a few functions that you feel you need that are not natively there, but you can always customize to your needs. And for those of you considering getting rid of or "purging" your other midi controllers, don't! Try to see if you can incorporate both into your routine the way you'd like to use them.

thanks for your time guys hope this helped those people who considering buying or even those who are just curious, either way also check out the Numark Mixdeck seems to be a very similar unit, but much more versatile as it is sold as a media player acts as a midi contoller, but also has 2 CDJs & 2 USB (Hard Drive/Thumb Drive) ports and an IPOD dock (which I am not too fond of, but this can also be used for recording, which is neat) its more of an all in one option, with a built in soundcard. Thanks again!

[DjWindzOne]

@XmanDigital

Yeah. . I messed around with the Mixdeck a few times, and there's a another controller in between the MixDeck and the Mixtrack. It's the newest version of the IDj3. I messed around with this unit to. . .Same great feel of the jogs like you mentioned. Like the MixDeck, it has an Ipod cradle. Internal Sound card was a big plus! (StereoIO or DjIO? It is Numark!). It comes with MixVibes CROSS (messed with this a couple of years ago, and I wasn't too impressed). I'm just starting to get into NI and Tracktor.

I like the fact that you can use the iPod to record, but I'm really unsure bout the iDj3 though. I would've picked that unit had it packaged Tracktor. . .but alas, I'm still happy with the MixTrack. I'm just having a frustrating time for which Sanwa buttons Imma switch on the thing.

Good review man!

[sektor22]

I think once I remap my fx knobs and add some modifiers this will be a sweet deal. I'm going to remap the key-lock buttons ( I always have it on anyway ) as modifiers which will allow me to have at least 2 more fx..


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw9Y5...eature=related

[djmischief]

I've been looking for an inexpensive controller to screw around with for awhile and was kinda set on the mixtrack. So after hearing mostly positive things on this forum (thanks everyone) I was going to go for it...

and then I ran across this

$115...buy it now!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

[djmischief]

I've been looking for an inexpensive controller to screw around with for awhile and was kinda set on the mixtrack. So after hearing mostly positive things on this forum (thanks everyone) I was going to go for it...

and then I ran across this

$115...buy it now!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Whoops, I guess the sale ended...I thought I was going to hook you guys up with a great deal...sorry.

[letenous]

I have one, and you can actually do pitch bends just by turning the sides without touching the face of the platter. You just have to turn the scratch function off. Anyway this is a good product for the price, but I don't really find it portable as this thing won't fit into a usual backpack. I'm still trying to find one that can. Let me know!

[sektor22]

This past Saturday I did a volunteer gig and didn't want to haul my conventional flight-case with the cdjs and mixer, so I used themixtrack and my audio 8 and the setup worked perfectly. I even connected my mic to the audio8 and used deck c as the thru channel so I could make announcements So far I'm very happy with my purchase...